Keeping in 2018-19

What is Keeping?

Recommended Keeping in 2018-19

This year, we are encouraging our study group to keep a Commonplace Book.

This is an optional practice meant to help you grow in your understanding of Mason’s principles and methods.

The Commonplace Book

What is a Commonplace Book?

Laurie Bestvater in her book, The Living Page, describes a commonplace book:

The Commonplace collects student-selected passages from any and all reading on any and all subjects. Mason also refers to it as a Reading Diary. (p.32)

You could consider it to be a collection of quotes from your readings. It might be something that inspired you or that caught your attention or a well-crafted turn of a phrase; in essence, ‘worthy thoughts, well put’.

How Will We Use One?

We encourage you to capture quotes in your commonplace book* as you pre-read Volumes 1 and 5 in anticipation of our monthly discussion.

*Your commonplace book is not included in the Resource Fee. It can be a lovely journal, a composition notebook, or as simple as some sheets of blank paper. When you get the hang of these, they become life-long reading companions and a documentation of your experiences with books; you might prefer something more attractive and designed to last. For now, we are building habits, so feel free to experiment to see what format you prefer (lined/unlined? bound/loose-leaf? etc.)